It is with our deepest sorrow, that we inform you of the passing of our founding father John Skinner, who passed away last Saturday. We send our deepest condolences to his wife Christa and the family!
John brought Rugby to Austria and was the initiator of creating the Vienna Celtic Rugby Football Club in 1978. His vision was to build an international Rugby Club in Vienna and to establish Rugby in Austria.
Since John lived in Moscow the last years, he could not make it to Vienna very often. However, he always had an eye on his baby in Vienna. Coming from Dumbarton, Scotland, he lived the old Rugby traditions and loved sharing and passing them on. Especially to (crazy) Austrians. With John we lose the inaugurator of the Vienna Celtic RFC and the Vienna Celtic Family! He was a great leader, gentleman, close friend and Rugby enthusiast.
John was a great Sportsman who played his last game for Celtic back in 2013, aged 63, in his home in Scotland, against his old home club Loch Lomond RFC. Thank you, John, for bringing the Celtic spirit to Vienna, we will always keep you and the Celtic spirit in our hearts!